Langman to be named despite nasty finger injury

IT WAS hard enough getting Laura Langman off the court when she first busted her finger on Saturday, and it seems Sunshine Coast Lightning coach Noeline Taurua will have an equally tough job keeping her from lacing up this week.

The "fierce” Kiwi midcourter will be named in Lightning's squad to play West Coast in Perth on Friday night, but her progress will be monitored up until the final hours before the match.

Taurua said the injury, a dislocated finger which pierced the skin, was just part and parcel of netball.

"We're very lucky when we can strap them together,” she said.

"The good thing is it's not her right hand so she can still pass and catch.”

Langman sat out Wednesday morning's training session to give the injury more time to heal.

"Laura is a fierce competitor and we know what we need to do in regards to managing her,” Taurua said.

"I'm very excited about her recovery and where we're heading to for (the match in) Perth.”

Lightning captain Geva Mentor said Langman was a "tough cookie” and she expected to see her line up this weekend.

"We all know fingers out of place are rather painful,” she said.

"The immediate pain is quite high but once that starts to wear off ... you can definitely strap them up and get on with it.”

Mentor said she admired Langman's desire and commitment to the team, often being the first to arrive and the last to leave training sessions.

"For me she is an absolute machine on and off the court,” Mentor said.

"When I'm at the back watching her play I admire her desire and hunger to get the ball. She's such a tenacious player on the court, and off the court she gives so much.”

Taurua said goal attack Steph Wood recovered from her first full match against Magpies in good order, despite sending a scare through camp early in the match when she appeared to hobble on her ankle.